Bold flavours, comforting textures: A'Roma Dinings is maturing into one of PJ's top landmarks for a taste of la dolce vita, steered by the stewardship of Malaysian chef Silverster Marcus, whose fundamental training in French cuisine & two decades of professional experience in Italian cooking leave a fairly distinctive impression. It's a comfortably spacious restaurant that feels like a labour of love, filled with painstakingly painted murals that set a memorably vibrant tone for a hearty, soulful meal.
Pastas & risotto may be the benchmark by which most patrons judge an Italian venue: By that measure, A'Roma does justice to the Roman spirit of kitchen-spawned meals, with casarecce & curly pappardelle - varieties of pastas not often seen in the Klang Valley - crafted by A'Roma's own team for a firm, fresh bite, the former partnered pleasurably with chunks of slow-braised pork cheek & sauteed bacon in a thick, tangy puttanesca sauce (RM38), the latter heaped with tender duck leg in an earthy ragu of foie gras morsels & mushrooms (RM45). And since we're fans of saffron risotto, we're encouraged to spot it served here, respectably aromatic, freckled with substantial scallops, tiger prawns, green peas & roasted capsicum (RM48).
If you're carnivorous for pork & lamb, the menu should satiate those meaty cravings: The Spanish-sourced pork belly & ribs both prove to be sacraments of sheer succulence, potently perfumed with flower honey & chipotle, rewarding customers with a luscious, flavoursome chew, with plenty of crunchy pork crackling on the board to munch on (RM79 for the full ensemble). A'Roma also takes pride in its lamb racks, a caveman-worthy portion to sink your teeth into, crusted with a fragrantly textured crumble of harissa peppers & herbs, complemented by charred capsicum, grilled vegetables & mashed potatoes (RM78).
We also like A'Roma's sharing boards, showcasing charcuterie & cheese (RM60 each), accompanied by bread & pickles. The first platter is enjoyably curated with Italian cold cuts - Bologna-produced mortadella, Milano salami, prosciutto & lip-smacking fatty cotechino - while the cheeses come from all across Europe, comprising Italian gorgonzola with green olives & black cherries, French herbed boursin in truffle oil, Greek feta with herb oil, & Cypriot halloumi with apricots & basil, for a spectrum of cheesy dynamics. Either or both would be a suitable follow-up to A'Roma's thin-&-crispy flatbread & dips (rather addictive).
Desserts are typically worth saving space for at Italian joints - A'Roma puts its own twist on every dish, savoury or sweet, & the tiramisu is no exception, layered with Sumatran-harvested Degayo coffee & melted dark chocolate fudge, brimming with nuts & berries galore at its base (RM23). If you prefer something more decadent, the 75% dense & dark chocolate semifreddo ticks that box, enhanced with butterscotch, hazelnut ganache, orange segments & strawberries (RM23). A solid selection of wine is available by bottle & glass, so head here for your Chianti & Cabernet fix; many thanks to A'Roma's friendly team for having us.
a'Roma Dinings
1, Jalan 20/14, Paramount Garden, Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Sun-Thurs, 12pm-11pm; Fri-Sat, 12pm-1215am. Tel: 03-7865-9829
This restaurant is available for bookings under TABLEAPP, which enables customers to make instant reservations at Malaysia's top restaurants, while saving time and money in the process. Reserve your table at this restaurant by clicking here.
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